In general, auger type ice makers include a water tank in which water to be frozen is stored, an evaporator assembly having a cylindrical surface on which ice crystals are formed, and a driven auger which removes the ice from the evaporator surface and advances it through an extruding head to form ice pieces which move into a storage bin. In addition, various safety features are employed to shut off the ice maker in the event of the occurrence of several abnormal conditions. For example, if the storage bin is full, if the water tank is empty, or if the motor driving the auger overheats, the ice maker is adapted to turn itself off.
These abnormal conditions occur relatively frequently and yet are readily remedied. However, as the operator does not know which condition has disabled the ice maker, a call to the service person is often required, together with the resulting "down" time.